Apples may not be the health panacea that the old adage suggests, but they are the quintessential fall fruit and wonderfully versatile. On the East Coast, the local apples found at farmers’ markets after the fall harvest are stored in massive cold storage throughout the year and brought to market in batches. In the fall, however, local apples are fresh from the trees and are a culinary delight. Not only are they wonderful to be eaten out-of-hand, apples can be baked, poached, used in sauces, butters, pies and salads.

The following guide shows perfectuses for some of the apples you will findin the farmers’ markets this season.We hope that the five recipes we puttogether provide some inspiration forsweet recipes you can take advantageof using this wonderful fruit.